Air conditioner or conditioning units are conventionally utilized to adjust the temperature indoors—i.e. within structures such as dwellings and office buildings. Such units commonly include a closed refrigeration loop to heat or cool the indoor air. Typically, the indoor air is recirculated while being heated or cooled. A variety of sizes and configurations are available for such air conditioner units. For example, some units may have one portion installed within the indoors that is connected, by e.g., tubing carrying the refrigerant, to another portion located outdoors. These types of units are typically used for conditioning the air in larger spaces.
Another type of unit, sometimes referred to as a packaged terminal air conditioner unit (PTAC), may be used for somewhat smaller indoor spaces that are to be air conditioned. These units may include both an indoor portion and an outdoor portion separated by a bulkhead and may be installed in windows or positioned within an opening of an exterior wall of a building.
Frequently, the indoor space may need to draw in air from the outdoors. For example, if a bathroom fan is turned on or air is otherwise ejected from the indoor space, fresh air may be required to supplement or make-up for the lost air. Depending on e.g., the efficiency of the weather stripping around doors and windows, this make-up air may simply be drawn into the indoors by cracks or other openings. If such cracks are not sufficient, the flow of make-up air may be insufficient or too slow. Notably, government regulations including e.g., fire codes may require that cracks or openings be eliminated as much as possible—precluding a sufficient flow of make-up air.
Accordingly, certain PTACs allow for the introduction of make-up air into the indoor space. In this regard, PTACs may include a vent aperture defined in the bulkhead that separates the indoor and outdoor side of the unit. The vent aperture allows fresh air to pass from the outdoor side of the PTAC into the conditioned room. The vent aperture is usually equipped with an auxiliary fan to urge the flow of make-up air and a motorized vent door to control the flow of make-up air.
Therefore, it is important to be able to detect whether the vent door is open or closed. Certain PTACs include sensors for determining the position of the vent door. For example, proximity sensors, reed switches, or similar devices can be used to detect the position of vent door. However, all these devices increase costs and complicate the design of the PTAC. Accordingly, improved air conditioner units and associated methods for detecting the position of the vent door would be useful. More specifically, packaged terminal air conditioner units and associated methods of operation that can detect the vent door position without the need for complicated and costly sensors would be particularly beneficial.